Rusty Blackbird Blitz Again!

To learn more about Rusty Blackbird research including last year’s results, see the following website: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Research/Rusty_Blackbird/blitz.cfm

Why a Blitz?  The Rusty Blackbird has been steeply declining, with estimates of an 85-99 percent population drop over the past 40 years.  Although the cause for this alarming decline is not known, winter habitat loss and degradation are likely candidates.  Rusties are getting scarce and patchy in their winter distribution, making it difficult focus research and management we need to save the species.  Collaborating with Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology's and National Audubon Society’s e-Bird project, we are enlisting the power of the birding public (you!) to help locate local, but predictable wintering concentrations of Rusty Blackbirds.  We are mobilizing an all out "blitz" to locate Rusty Blackbirds and create a map  of wintering Rusty Blackbird "hot spots" that will help focus research, monitoring and conservation attention..

Who?  Birders from all of the winter range of the Rusty Blackbird. Beginners could accompany more experienced birders to likely sites to learn more about winter birding and blackbird identification tricks.

What?  During a single 17-day period, volunteers will search for Rusty Blackbirds in any locations and habitats deemed as potentially suitable for wintering Rusty Blackbirds, particularly flocks or concentrations (e.g., dozens or even hundreds of birds). Areas of concentration will be revisited in the future to determine if they are indeed Rusty Blackbird hot spots.

When?  January 30 thru February 15th, 2010 – when Rusties become easier to find (males sing!) and the population is relatively sedentary.

Where? The focus is on southern states where most Rusty Blackbirds overwinter, but we also are looking for information in Pennsylvania and neighboring New Jersey, and Ohio.  Pennsylvania is at the northern edge of the Rusty's winter range, but that makes it a fun challenge to find a few.  Some PA birders have announced their discoveries of a few Rusty Blackbirds in Southeastern Pennsylvania, but how many more are out there if we looked for them?  Some of the wetlands of southern and northwestern counties might be good places to look.   Also, the margins of lakes, ponds, and reservoirs could attract this songbird as well as wet woods and riverside forests.   Some of our Important Bird Areas certainly should be targeted for searches including these:

·         John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge (Tinicum marsh)

·         Fairmont Park, Philadelphia

·         Great Marsh and Marsh Creek State Park

·         Quakertown Swamp / State Game Lands 139

·         Peace Valley Park

·         Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area

·         Octoraro Reservoir

·         Codorus State Park

·         Enlow Fork / State Game Land 302

·         Pymatuning Swamp / Hartstown wetland complex

·         Cussawago Bottom

·         Erie National Wildlife Refuge

·         Conneaut / Geneva Marsh

·         Yellow Creek State Park

·         The Glades / State Game Lands 95

·         Pennsy, Black, and Celery Swamps, State Game Lands 284

·         Raccoon Creek State Park

These are only a few suggestions, we are sure that you can think of other good places to look.  In our state, it is a bit of a gamble to look for Rusties in the winter.  Who knows where you might find one?  Some small marsh or wet woods that you know about might be the secret spot for this winter rarity.  We wonder about stretches along the smaller streams in southern counties such as the Brandywine, Octoraro Creek, Conowago Creek, and the Monongehela River.  Or, some of the small game lands or park that have waterfowl ponds and wetlands such as State Game Lands 169 near Newville?   

Post all of your data to eBird.  It adds to our common knowledge of these sites.  Even “negative data” can be very helpful to our Rusty Blackbird survey because it helps better define the winter range by where efforts were made but none were found. 

How?  It’s simple!  Use whatever you like – your data base of previous sightings, birding intuition, local legend, or local knowledge – to search the most likely places for wintering Rusty Blackbirds.   You can go wherever you like, whenever you like, and as often as you like anytime between the dates of 30 January – 15 February 2010.    Checking known places is good.  Exploring the unknown for new hotspots is even better! We are simply seeking observations on the number of birds present at each location visited, along with very basic habitat information.  All you have to do is submit your observations via e-Bird.  We will do the rest!  (Failure to find Rusties is important information as well). Information about other bird species found at each site also are good collect and enter into eBird portal.  For survey protocol instructions please see the general eBird site’s Rusty Blackbird blitz story at: 

http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/rubl-survey-2010

Additional Information:  There is more extensive information posted on the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center's Rusty Blackbird website (see link listed above) and the general eBird website with maps and great pictures of various Rusty Blackbird plumages. 

Good Black-birding!

Doug Gross of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Russ Greenberg and the Rusty Blackbird Working Group, and Team eBird including our Pennsylvania eBird gang.